Random thoughts on almost anything and everything, with an emphasis on defense, intelligence, politics and national security matters..providing insight for the non-cleared world since 2005.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

She Said It

Let's review...a Nigerian man, who studied at a British university, becomes a radicalized Muslim. The "transformation" is so disturbing that the man's father, a prominent Nigerian banker, personally alerts the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, warning that his son may represent a potential terror threat.

Meanwhile, information obtained by the U.K. government seems to confirm the father's fears. When the former student applies for a new visa to visit Britain, his request is declined. At about the same time, the U.S.--for reasons still unclear--grants a visa to the young Nigerian.

Then, a few weeks later, American intelligence services determine that the man has ties to Al Qaida elements in Yemen. The information isn't enough to put the man on a "No Fly" list, but his name does enter a larger database of individuals with known terrorist connections.

At some point during this period, the young Nigerian travels to Yemen and contacts the local Al Qaida affiliate. He is trained for a future operation, which will use a concealed bomb to bring down a U.S. airliner. On December 25th, the Nigerian engineering student-turned-terrorist operative ,Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, boards a Northwest Airlines flight from Lagos to Detroit, with a connection in Amsterdam. He paid cash for the one-way ticket.

You know what happened on the final leg of the flight. Abdulmutallab's attempt to detonate his bomb was foiled by an alert passenger and problems with the device. Had the passenger (a Dutch film maker) been less attentive--or Abdulmutllab more proficient--Northwest flight 253 might have ended with a catastrophic explosion, and the loss of everyone onboard.

Of course, Napolitano didn't mention all the red flags that Farouk Abdulmutllab managed to raise over the past 4-5 months. Or the failure of various government agencies to connect the dots, and identify the Nigerian as a potential terrorist. Instead, she assures us, that the system worked as advertised. Never mind that we were just moments away from a "man-caused disaster," to use one of Ms. Napolitano's politically-correct terms for a terrorist attack.

By any standard, Napolitano's comment may be one of the most stupid comments ever uttered by a cabinet secretary in any administration. But readers will note that stenographers in the mainstream media have refused to hold her accountable. Gee, what a surprise.

But security experts are calling Napolitano on the carpet, and rightfully so. Writing in the Center for Security Policy's Terror Trends Bulletin, Christopher Holton accurately dissects the sheer idiocy of Ms. Napolitano's assertion:

1. “Homeland security head: The security system worked”

Nothing authorities did prevented that plane from being blown up. This was a case of a bad guy fumbling the ball on the one yard line through the end zone for a touchback. If the security system worked, then the system STINKS. Either Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab’s detonator was bad or else it was a case of “you need to be smarter than the equipment you’re using” and he screwed up. But if not for their screw-up, we’d have had a US airliner blown up and crashing over a populated area on Christmas with hundreds killed.

2. “The father of the man accused of attempting to blow up the jetliner told U.S. officials in Nigeria he was concerned about his son’s extreme religious views. However, Napolitano says there was no specific information to place Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on a no-fly list.”This is a byproduct of refusing to recognize the religious component integral to the enemies we face. The fact that the father informed us that his son was a Jihadi wasn’t enough for our PC system to keep him out of the US. This is the modern-day equivalent to allowing members of the SS into America because their membership in the SS was not sufficient specific information to exclude them.

3. Napolitano says that within 60 to 90 minutes of the incident all 120 flights that were in the air at time were contacted to make sure the attempted bombing did not extend beyond the flight to Detroit.

How the hell were those other air crews supposed to know? Did they announce over the intercom,”Any terrorists on board with an explosive device strapped to your crotch, please raise your hand”? The fact of the matter is, we were caught with our pants down and we are just damn lucky that Christmas 2009 wasn’t marked forever by an Islamikaze massacre. Mr. Holton believes that Napolitano should resign immediately. We agree but, sadly, that won't happen. The only thing that would rid us of Napolitano would be a successful terrorist attack, err, man-caused disaster. We came very close to that scenario on Christmas Day, but don't worry, the system worked.

15 comments:

Janet Napolitano, head of DHS, certainly understands nothing terrorist - she is too PC to call it what it is even when it stares her right in the face. The system worked - yeah, right. Now all of us will pay with more delays and indignities foisted upon us by the losers at Thousands Standing Around. These are the same people who were "security" on 9/11, except now they are unionized government employees. They didn't get new IQ's and we are not any safer. Until we adopt the El Al screening model, we are playing Muslim Roulette.

The Secretary's statement, to paraphrase, does raise the bar . . "After the incident, the system worked". To continue to cover incompetance, the spin has become embarrasingly idiotic.As PCSSEPA mentioned, this is roulette and the enemy also understands probabilities in an assymetrical war. While this one attempt failed, maybe 6-8 attempts are required for one or more to be successful. Meantime, this fellow - on a suicide mission from Yemen via Nigeria - was arrested, Miranderized and is lawyered up to stand trial. What war?

So just to be clear; after nine years and untold billions spent on security, a lone man, with no bags, on a security watch list, buying a one-way ticket for cash across an ocean into the US doesn't get even an extra search!

That's what happens when you appoint a political hack with no security background to a security job. Security is viewed by everyone else as a pain in the butt until someone gets hurt or killed. Then the wailing, gnashing of teeth and investigations start (Khobar Towers, USS Cole, 9/11). It's been that way forever in the history of our federal government and, unfortunately, I suspect it always will.

The current administration had a great opportunity to appoint an appropriate head of DHS. They, instead, chose to appoint someone who would fulfill the political requirements. PCSEPA said it right when he criticized TSA....The airport FSD's (federal security directors were appointed in the same manner as the TSA "agents" LOL were hired......politics...this trancends parties....I have met many dedicated and very smart DHS employees (mostly sworn ones), but they are hamstrung under the current Secretary, as she is simply executing the political will of the administration (as is Holder).

I am fearful that even a few midair explosions killing 600 plus will only result in words and veiled semi threats.....

And by the way, "Paul", this is far too serious an issue to worry about what the past administration did or did not do......

Where is the media outrage over Barry not making a statement immediately after the Christmas Day incident? They pounced on Bush when he was told 9/11 was going down while reading to schoolchildren in FL. And what does Barry do - send his political crony out to fall on her sword, which seems to be the MO of this administration (go take one for the team - can't let Barry look less "presidential" then he is).

Obama will go down in history as one of the worst occupants of the Oval Office, hands down (Millard Filmore may look like a saint in three years compared to Barry). He and his cronies are full of hubris, with no clue on how to lead, especially in a time when we need a strong leader.

But wait, maybe he was at church! ...hmm, no, that's not it.....the president (lower case intentional)has engineered everything to date so that others must fall on their swords, making no positions or statements that puts him in a position to be wrong....

As things get worse, Iran, AQ, the 'real" economy, his strategy will begin to crumble. Always remember rahm's background, that's where he will turn...(not the agency, the tactics)....

If only Ms. Napolitano was the only idiot in this administration. The terrorist Abdulmutallab is charged with a crime in our criminal justice system and now has the 'right to remain silent' about any planned follow on attacks. I can only conclude that this administration does not take our safety seriously.